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Dessen Family History

Dessen Surname Meaning

Historically, surnames evolved as a way to sort people into groups - by occupation, place of origin, clan affiliation, patronage, parentage, adoption, and even physical characteristics (like red hair). Many of the modern surnames in the dictionary can be traced back to Britain and Ireland.


Similar surnames: Jessen, Kessen, Nessen, Hessen, Essen, Desser, Dressen, Dessel

Search for a relative to learn more about your family history.

Hint: Try searching for a relative alive in 1940.

Where is the Dessen family from?

You can see how Dessen families moved over time by selecting different census years. The Dessen family name was found in the USA, the UK, and Scotland between 1851 and 1920. The most Dessen families were found in USA in 1880. In 1880 there were 3 Dessen families living in Illinois. This was about 60% of all the recorded Dessen's in USA. Illinois had the highest population of Dessen families in 1880.
Use census records and voter lists to see where families with the Dessen surname lived. Within census records, you can often find information like name of household members, ages, birthplaces, residences, and occupations.
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What did your Dessen ancestors do for a living?

In 1940, Salesman was the top reported job for people in the USA named Dessen. 34% of Dessen men worked as a Salesman.

View Census Data for Dessen | Data not to scale

*We display top occupations by gender to maintain their historical accuracy during times when men and women often performed different jobs.

United States shown, Canada data unavailable

Top Male Occupations In 1940

  • Salesman
    34%
  • Farm
    34%
  • Labor
    34%

What Dessen family records will you find?

Census Records

There are 640 census records available for the last name Dessen. Like a window into their day-to-day life, Dessen census records can tell you where and how your ancestors worked, their level of education, veteran status, and more.

Search Canadian census records for Dessen

Passenger Lists

There are 203 immigration records available for the last name Dessen. Passenger lists are your ticket to knowing when your ancestors arrived in Canada, and how they made the journey - from the ship name to ports of arrival and departure.

View all Dessen immigration records

Draft Cards

There are 46,000 military records available for the last name Dessen. For the veterans among your Dessen ancestors, military collections provide insights into where and when they served, and even physical descriptions.

View all Dessen military records

You've only scratched the surface of Dessen family history

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What is the average Dessen lifespan?

Between 1961 and 2004, in the United States, Dessen life expectancy was at its lowest point in 1961, and highest in 1967. The average life expectancy for Dessen in 1961 was 61, and 65 in 2004.

View Social Security Death Index (SSDI) for Dessen

An unusually short lifespan might indicate that your Dessen ancestors lived in harsh conditions. A short lifespan might also indicate health problems that were once prevalent in your family. The SSDI is a searchable database of more than 70 million names. You can find birthdates, death dates, addresses and more.

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